Micronutrients throughout the Life Cycle: Needs and Functions in Health and Disease

Abstract

Background: Micronutrients play a vital role in the maintenance and proper functioning of body tissues. Micronutrients broadly consist of minerals and vitamins. These vitamins and minerals are of supreme importance in the treatment of an eclectic variety of diseases and are obligatory for many metabolic processes. Objective: The objective of this review is to give a comprehensive overview on the role of micronutrients in the treatment of broad-spectrum diseases and also give insightful knowledge regarding the numerous food sources for obtaining nutrients, their dietary reference values, and their deficiencies. In this review, the authors have also highlighted the role of micronutrients in COVID- 19. Findings: A properly balanced diet provides an acceptable amount of nutrients in the body. Deficiency and excessive nutrients in an individual’s diet may cause diseases or abnormal conditions. An improper diet may be responsible for the occurrence of deficiencies in iron, calcium, and iodine. Minerals like iron, boron, calcium, cobalt, phosphorous, and vitamins like K, E, A, D, and Riboflavin can cure and treat fatal diseases like Alzheimer’s, bone development conditions, osteoporosis, anemia, inflammatory bowel, and HIV Infections. Conclusion: Micronutrients are essential for metabolism and tissue function. Sufficient consumption is thus required, but providing additional supplements to persons who do not require them may be detrimental. Large-scale studies of varied micronutrient dosages with accurate outcome indicators are needed to optimize intakes in different patient groups and the general population at large. In this review, the authors have highlighted the crucial role of micronutrients in health and disease.